>----- Original Message -----
>From: <JGibbs3926@aol.com>
>Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 9:49 PM
>
> SUNDIATA ACOLI FREEDOM CAMPAIGN
> 655 Fulton Street, Box 123
> Brooklyn, NY 11217
> SAParole@aol.com
> January 2001
>
> Sisters and Brothers:
>
> We write to solicit your support for the freedom of Sundiata Acoli, one
> of the longest held political prisoners in the United States. On May 2,
> 1973,
> Sundiata, along with two other former members of the New York City chapter
>of the Black Panther Party - - Assata Shakur and Zayd Malik Shakur-- were
> stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike for a purportedly "faulty tail-light." A
> shoot-out ensued during which Zayd and a state trooper, Werner Foster, were
> killed and Assata and Sundiata wounded. Both Assata and Sundiata were
> subsequently convicted of the murder of the trooper and related charges and
> sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
>
> Twenty-seven years later Sundiata remains in prison, and if New Jersey
> and its New Jersey State Parole Board have their way, will remain there for
> the remainder of his life. In 1994, Sundiata appeared before the Parole
> Board
> was denied parole and assigned a new parole eligibility date in 2006. At the
> time of his appearance before the Parole Board, Sundiata had maintained a
> "charge free" record for eight years and had outstanding educational and
> work
> reports. However, the Parole Board, in denying Sundiata's release
> ignored all
> of the evidence supporting his release and instead concluded that a
> substantial likelihood existed that if released on parole Sundiata would
> commit another crime because of, inter alia, his former membership in the
> BPP; his characterization of himself as a "political prisoner," and because
> his family, friends and supporters had written letters to the Parole Board
> demanding his release.
>
> In other words, Sundiata is being held in prison because of his and his
> supporters First Amendment protected beliefs and activities. The transcript
> of Sundiata's telephonic parole hearings and the Board's decisions also make
> clear that the Parole Board had predetermined to deny Sundiata parole in
> violation of his right to due process of law.
>
> Twenty seven years is long enough! No evidence exists that if
> released on
> parole, Sundiata, who is now 64 years old, will embark on a life of "crime."
> Sundiata has already served more time than the average person convicted of
> murder. Just because Sundiata is a former member of the Black Panther Party
> and was convicted of a murder of state trooper, along with another well
> known
> member of the BPP, Assata Shakur who successfully escaped and was deservedly
> granted political asylum in Cuba, should not mean that Sundiata should
> spend the remainder of his life in prison. The purpose of prison, except in
> the instances in which the barbaric punishment of death is imposed, is
> supposed to be rehabilitation, not torture and revenge!
>
> Sundiata unsuccessfully appealed the Parole Board's decision up to the
> United States Supreme Court and has filed a petition for a writ of habeas
> corpus in the United States District Court for District of New Jersey. In
> conjunction with the filing of his petition in federal court, Sundiata has
> also launched a "Call" for his release to the Governor Whitman and the
> Parole Board. To succeed, Sundiata needs your support. As Frederick Douglas
> said, "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never
> will."
>
> Please add your name to the broad, diverse list of organizations and
> individuals from throughout the United States as well as around the
> world who
> have already endorsed the "CALL TO RELEASE SUNDIATA ACOLI." To date,
> signers
> of the "Call" include JoNina Abron, Angela Y. Davis, Joy James, Rod Bush
> Bill
> Sales and Ramona Africa and dozens of individuals and organizations who
> agree that Sundiata should be released now. Twenty-seven years is long
> enough!
>
> WHAT YOU CAN DO
>
> 1. Endorse the "Call for Release of Sundiata Acoli." Fill out and
> returning the form below to the Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign at the
> above
> addresses today. Please include your full name, address and organizational
> affiliation, if any.
>
> 2. Publicize, copy, distribute and forward the "Call To Release
> Sundiata Acoli" to as many people as possible. Urge your family, friends,
> co-workers, anyone you know to sign the "Call" and then urge others to do so
> as well.
>
> 3. Write a letter to the New Jersey State Parole urging that
> Sundiata
> be released on parole. The Board's address is P.O. Box 862, Trenton, NJ
> 08625.
>
> 4. Publish the "Call for Release of Sundiata Acoli" in your
> newsletter, newspaper, etc.
>
> Thank you in advance for your support of the freedom of Sundiata Acoli.
>
> Sincerely,
> Joan P. Gibbs, Esq.
> Florence Morgan, Esq.
> Legal Advisors to Sundiata Acoli
>
> "There is something about Sundiata that exudes calm. From Every part of
> his being you can sense the presence of revolutionary spirit and fervor. And
> his love for Black people is so intense that you can almost touch it and
> hold
> it your hands."
> -Assata Shakur
>
> CALL TO RELEASE SUNDIATA ACOLI
>
> For over twenty-seven years, Sundiata Acoli a former member of the New
> York City chapter of the Black Panther Party and one of the "Panther 21"
> years has been imprisoned on New Jersey state charges stemming from a May
> 1973 incident involving Sundiata and two other former members of the BPP,
> Assata Shakur and Zayd Malik Shakur. On May 2, 1973, while driving south on
> the New Jersey Turnpike, Sundiata, Assata and Zayd, were stopped for a
> purportedly "faulty tail-light." A shoot-out ensued during which a state
> trooper, Werner Foster, and Zayd were killed and Assata and Sundiata
>wounded.
> Both Assata and Sundiata were subsequently convicted of the murder of the
> trooper and related charges and sentenced to life in prison with the
> possibility of parole.
>
> In 1994, Sundiata appeared before the Parole Board was denied parole and
> assigned a new parole eligibility date of 2006. At the time of his
> appearance
> before the Parole Board, Sundiata had maintained a "charge free" record for
> eight years and had outstanding progress, work and educational reports. In
> denying Sundiata release on parole, the Parole Board ignored all of the
> evidence supporting his release and instead concluded that a substantial
> likelihood existed that if released on parole Sundiata would commit another
> crime because of, inter alia, his former membership in the BPP and his
> characterization of himself as a "political prisoner." In addition, the
> Parole Board cited the fact that his family, friends and supporters had
> written letters to the Parole Board demanding his release, in blatant
> violation of his and supporters rights under the First Amendment!
> Indeed, the
> transcripts of Sundiata's telephonic parole hearings and the Parole Board's
> decision strongly suggest that the Parole Board had predetermined to deny
> Sundiata release on parole in violation of his right to due process of law.
>
> Twenty seven years is long enough! No evidence exists that if
> released on
> parole, Sundiata, who is now 64 years old, will embark on a life of "crime."
> The purpose of prison, except in the instances in which the barbaric
> punishment of death is imposed, is supposed to be rehabilitation, not
> torture
> and revenge! Just because Sundiata is a former member of the Black Panther
> Party and was convicted along with another well known member of the BPP
> Assata Shakur who successfully escaped and was deservedly granted political
> asylum in Cuba, should not mean that Sundiata should spend the remainder of
> his life in prison.
>
> We, the undersigned, call on the Governor of New Jersey and the New
> Jersey State Parole to immediately release Sundiata Acoli on parole.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ----------------------------------------------
> Clip and Return to:
> Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign
> c/o Joan P. Gibbs, Esq.
> 655 Fulton Street, Box 123
> Brooklyn, NY 11217
> Electronic Mail: SAParole@aol.com
>
> Name: ______________________________________________________
> Address: ____________________________________________________
> ___________________________________________________________
> Telephone: _____________________Fax__________________________
> Electronic Mail ______________________________________________
> Organizational Affiliation For Identification Only:____________________
> ____________________________________________________________
>
> [ ] Yes, I support the Call for the Release of Sundiata Acoli.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>---
>
> ----------------------------------------------
>Check the site at www.afrikan.net/sundiata for more info on this dynamic
>liberation warrior and support the righteous demand for his release!
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 23 2001 - 01:54:50 EST